The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-04-30
THE INDIANS
M~arr,aeeable Girls s0id ut Auction -
California Reservation

CALIFORNIA; ItcNerS"s'u"'
Slavery was supposed to b.
abolished in the United States by tn
verdict of the late war;" said a peda
gogue to a reporter; ''but the fact Ii
that outside Of the Chinese system o
temporary bondage there is another
class of human merchandise which tn
laws do not reach. The indian is
cestui que trust Of the Government
and enjoying as he does the benefits o
reservation and free supplies he shoulf
be brought under the control OF thu
Constitution. have been teaching
school among the Indians. and speal
from what has fallen under my per
sonal observation. You are aware thai
there is a reservation located at the
mouth of the Klamath for the accommo'
dahon of tribes living in Northern Cal
ifornia, but very few of the klamath
Indians are disposed to leave the white
settlements scattered along the river
and adjacent territory, where whisky
is easily obtained for the dry district
on the borders of the occan Along
, the klamath, therefore, are a number
of clans. speaking different dialects.
who have their own laws and enforce
them according to their idea Of
political and domestic economy.
THE squaws or young women are
vendible commodities, and are put upon
the market at n price supposed to cor
respond with their charms. Her choice
is not consulted in the matter, and If a
rivalry exists between bidders for her
possession she is knocked down to
the most liberal offer. A maiden
of comedy appearance, and having a
talent for plating hats, baskets and
other ornamental wickerware, is, of
course, a more mcrchantable article
than her sister without accomplish
ments and without beauty. The price
paid for a girl of the desirable kind is
in the neighborhood Of twelve red
headed woodpeckers. a broncho and a
breech-loading rifle, the woodpecker
heads being valued at 2. 80 apiece and
the pony and gun at about $40 each.
making the price of the girl about go.
The amount varies, of course, accord
ing to the financial standing of the
purchaser and the avarice of the pa
rents. 1t occurs occasionally that IS
much as $3.50 is given for a girl, but she
would be possessed of unusual allure
ments and the purchaser a nabob.
THE lazy and oleaginous bucks,
when they have purchased a nominal
wife-for they do not consult the law
in respect to marriage-at once re-
quire their lady-lovcs to enter
upon all the hard work obtaina-
bic. She. in fact. is res
quired to neglect nothing which
might contribute to the comfort of her
lord, who confines himself to an occa-
sional hunting o. fishing expedition
with the otium cum dignitate for which
the aboriginal American is celebrated.
The women pack wood from the forests
in baskets, which are carried on the
back and supported by a band which
encircles the forehead, They also col-
lect gold-dust from the exposed bed
rock in the abandoned mines. which is
handed over to their consents with re-
ligious regularity. 1t is a fact that the
Indian women on the Klamath are abb
solute slaves, but they are faithful and
no matter how harshly treated.
You a readily imagine, however,
that, OF account Of the hard life they
lead, by the time middle age is reached
they lose all feminine charms and be.
come hays.
II suppose it is generally known
that white men here purchased squaws
for matrimonial purposes, but it is not
generally known how happy such I'M
ions are. White men who have cs.
squaws almost invariably cling
them through every vicissitude Of
life. Divorces are unknown among
them, and 'squaw men take n pride
in Boosting Of the good qualities OF
their purchases.
$50 far as the California penal code
is considered in its application to the
klamath Indians, it is a dead letter.
When an injury is supposed to have
been committed. the DarOetrator il. hv
common consent. considered the proper
prey of the party injured, including
relations, and ambuscades and as
naturally ensue. Dead
men tell no tales, and the live ones
won't. so that investigation never
amounts to any thing.-San Franc,scs